Jodhpur High Court(HC) on Tuesday issued notices to government authorities in connection with the investigation into the kidnapping of Bhanwari Devi, a day after a habeas corpus petition was filed in this connection. Devi, an auxiliary nurse midwife, went missing on September 1 after allegations that she possessed a video recording of Rajasthan Cabinet minister Mahipal Maderna and her in a “compromising position”. The missing auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM) Bhanwari Devi’s husband Amarchand accused water resources minister Mahipal Maderna of kidnapping her and filed a complaint to this effect in a lower court at Bilara (Jodhpur) on Tuesday. The court will hear the complaint on Wednesday.

A day earlier, Amarchand approached the Rajasthan High Court, which admitted his habeas corpus petition on Tuesday and issued notices to the state home secretary, inspector general of police Jodhpur Range, SP (Jodhpur Rural) and one Sohan Lal Bishnoi, who was arrested for his alleged involvement in the kidnapping. Team formed to crack nurse case.

Meanwhile, the state government on Tuesday formed a team of police officers to crack the case. Twenty days ago, Amarchand lodged a complaint about his missing wife with the Jodhpur police without accusing anybody but there were reports about the minister being involved in the incident. Maderna denied the allegation, while the police seem to making hardly any progress in tracing the woman. The high court on Tuesday directed the government officials concerned to reply Amarchand’s petition and submit a report on the progress in police investigations on September 22. Amarchand’s counsel alleged in the court the police were not investigating the case “freely and fairly”, as high profile politicians and businessmen were involved in Bhanwari Devi’s kidnapping.